http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/petsmart_rabbit_cruelty?c=weekly_enews

Boycott for Bunnies! Tell PetSmart to Stop Exploiting Rabbits

Greedy PetSmart recently went back on its years-old "promise" not to sell rabbits in its stores. Like dogs and cats, unwanted rabbits are routinely dumped at animal shelters across the country because of simple math: There are too many bunnies and not enough good homes for them.

Rabbits are social creatures with gentle natures and individual personalities. They also require special diets, stimulating environments (never an outdoor hutch!), and veterinarians who specialize in their care. Caring for rabbits is not simple or easy, which is why bunnies are the third-most surrendered animals in the U.S.

Are dogs and cats next for PetSmart?

Business-savvy PetSmart has for years ingratiated itself to animal protection and placement groups by allowing those groups to hold adoptions at its local stores. PETA's headquarters have heard from many of these groups that are deeply upset by PetSmart's shocking and irresponsible decision to ignore the rabbit overpopulation crisis, contribute to the needless deaths of rabbits in shelters, and contribute to the massive mill breeding of warehoused rabbits at "high-volume" breeding hellholes.

PetSmart's decision to sacrifice animal welfare for cash comes as no surprise. During an undercover investigation at a PetSmart store in Connecticut-a store that has a Banfield Hospital right inside it and that PetSmart boasts of as having an "outstanding pet care team" and an "exceptional pet care record"-PETA documented that dozens of small animals had been deprived of adequate veterinary care and were slowly dying in the store's back room.

The multimillion-dollar company is clearly unwilling to provide adequate basic care to the animals who are already bought and sold in its stores.

Please join PETA in calling on PetSmart to immediately halt its irresponsible, deadly plan to sell rabbits while rescue groups are bursting at the seams with equally deserving homeless rabbits. Let the company know that you will not be setting foot in any of its stores until live animals are no longer part of the inventory.

Did you know?

* House Rabbit Society (HRS) chapters across the U.S. spend an average of 32,000 hours per year handling calls from people who no longer want to keep their rabbits as well as counseling the public on proper and humane rabbit care.

* A combined total of about 35,000 calls from people wishing to "get rid of" their bunnies pour into HRS chapters every year.

* HRS estimates that in the greater Los Angeles area, city shelters take in more than 1,100 rabbits per year and county shelters take in an additional 1,000, while other agencies in L.A. take in about 500 more.

* City euthanasia rates last year were 50 percent for rabbits.